There is a small terrace overlooking the canal (photo below left), complete with tables and chairs, an ideal spot to enjoy a glass of the local wine whilst watching boats amble along the canal…life at a slower pace.

Crossing the small bridge over the canal brings you to a paddock where the farmer keeps his goat and horses, adjacent to here we have created a more secluded garden with shade, a table and chairs and sun-loungers (photos below, left and right), with breathtaking views of the Alaric and Corbiere mountains and on the other side of the domaine the ‘Montagne Noire’ or black mountains.

Millepetit is 3kms from Trèbes… a leisurely ½ hour walk or 15min by bicycle ride along the canal. It has a lively port with tourist information, a choice of bars and restaurants, 3 supermarkets, shopping, including an English bookshop, bike, boat and car hire available, a good bus service, a indoor swimming pool, an outside bathing lake, tennis courts, an open air stadium which hosts regular music concerts during the summer, taxis, banks, internet, and English speaking doctor…all the facilities of a modern town, whilst retaining the charm of the old.

En route to Carcassonne you can’t fail to see the medieval ‘Cite’ of Carcassonne, towering over the town (photo below right), recently the subject of the best selling novel ‘Labyrinth’ by author Kate Mosse, a historic thriller which is set in and around the area of Carcassonne, from the 12thC up to the present day.

The coastal beaches and livelier resorts are only 1hours drive away… why not pay a visit to Barcelona a mere 300kms…a days outing. See the work of architect Antoni Gaudí around the Gothic Quarter of the city, particulalry the still unfinished temple of the Sagrada Família, which has been under construction since 1882 – photo below right.

Within a 30km radius you can explore the Cathar trail, Cathar abbeys and strongholds, stunningly picturesque villages, caves and caverns, ramble through forests, fish in the rivers, sample local wine on a grand scale from the caves of any of the domaines, plus… visit the endless number of tourist attractions on your doorstep.

If you have any time left on your hands you can of course enjoy the simple pleasures of leisurely walks or cycle rides along the Canal du Midi (photo below left), in the shade of the 400-year-old Plane trees.

Come see for yourself why so many people are discovering the relatively unknown treasure that is the Languedoc-Roussillon… experience a taste of what the region has to offer…an intoxicating mix of both French and Spanish cultures, which is reflected in many aspects of its day to day living, not to mention a resurgence of the Occitan language itself.

Come visit the region where winter is only a word… not a state of mind, where spring begins in February and where the sun shines for more than 300 days of the year.